Caucasus to Mongolia - Central Asian Adventure 2027

Welcome to former USSR country of Georgia! We’ll spend most of the journey in countries that were once part of the mighty United Socialist States of Russia and it’s appropriate that we start with Georgia. Homeland of wine and Christianity, Georgia is the perfect and easy gateway to the mentality and hospitality that awaits us in the next few weeks. Once we get to know each other, the bikes and the route ahead, we’ll go on a ferry ride over Caspian Sea and start the adventure.

After disembarking the ferry, we embark the weird train – Turkmenistan. One of the most closed countries in the world, just shy of North Korea, will leave you perplexed after you’ve seen its white marble-clad capital of Ashgabat. Contrast to fake glitter of Ashgabat, is the gas crater of Dervaza, called appropriately “The gates of hell” where we’ll spend the night in the middle of Karakum Desert.

The most spectacular remaining architecture from the ancient Silk Road can be seen in Uzbekistan. Three of its most famous pearls, cities of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, are on our route. After cultural overload of tens of mosques, bazaars and towers, we’ll head out to double-landlocked and most mountainous country of Central Asia – Tajikistan.

Spending few days in lower areas of Tajikistan is needed for us to prepare logistically and mentally for the first big riding challenge of our journey. The road we’ll take to the Pamir mountains is the famous M41, old Soviet military road, once vital in Soviet-Afghanistan war and in The Great Game of 19^thcentury. Parts of the road is following closely Panj river which marks a natural border with Afghanistan, where we’ll able to see how’s life just over the border.

Now we’re already high on the Pamir plateau, riding for few day on altitudes of over 3 500 meters (11 000 ft) and tackling the highest pass of M41. The Ak-baital pass is situated at 4 655 meters (15 272 ft) and will challenge your physical and bikes mechanical limits. Amazing sights of snowcapped mountains, empty straight roads and Mars like landscape will awaken make you feel like out of this world. One of the most tranquil places we’ve ever visited, Karakul lake, will be the place of our last rest day in Tajikistan and will surely make your find your inner peace. Few hours of riding from Mars landscape, Switzerland of Central Asia – Kyrgyzstan will welcome us with its green pastures and countless frolicking horses.

Easy days are ahead us this week. If Switzerland and Mongolia had a baby, Kyrgyzstan would be it. Solid roads, plethora of food and a hint of “civilization” we know from back home. After the Pamir, every meal will be a banquet and every stretch of paved road an Autobahn. A few day trips can be arranged for horseback riding or hiking. Rest day on remote and peaceful Song-kul lake will give you a proper glimpse of how Mongolia looks like.

Kazakhstan, although being 9^thbiggest country in the world, will be our transit country. Besides its vibrant metropolis of Almaty, only vast steppes and one long stretch of road is what we’ll have ahead of us for most of the week. This week ends in Barnaul in Russia. It will be the last chance to have a glimpse of modern world and restock, before heading out deep into Mongolian outback.

Twisty paved road following a river, with green hills rolling from both sides means we’re in Altai region in Russia. Truly an adventure riders dream, will take us to border crossing with Mongolia. Over the border, similar sights are ahead of us, minus the paved road. As we go more east and leave Mongolian Altai mountains behind, endless green pastures, white traditional tents (gers) and Mongolian nomads will become our daily backdrop.

Mongolia, as we all know it from out-of-this-world photos and stories, is everywhere around us. This is it, we’re living the dream! In this moment. Riding on tough trails, tackling river crossings and zero comfort, will make you fully respect the hard life of Mongolian nomads. Being immersed in fantastic backdrops for weeks, sleeping under unpolluted night sky filled with millions of stars makes a person more humble and aware of what matters. At first tough and rough, Mongolia gives us all important lessons, not just riding ones.

• The sand dunes of Elsen Tsarkhai are a small but still impressive glimpse of the Gobi desert. Night spent there will be our last before we get to paved road and head to Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar (UB). The city and what it offers in Western food and venues, will spoil us after being out of the comfort zone for a while. On the last day, we’ll have a chance to give our regards to Genghis Khan, by visiting his statue, that’s the tallest equestrian statue in the world. On the last dinner, over a beer and barbecue, we’ll reflect the last few weeks and months. We were all strangers on the first day, but a journey like this makes strangers your riding buddies, mates, friends and comrades. Because we all, shared countless special moments, laughs, beers, fermented mare’s milk, rough roads and tough times and one big dream.